RAYTHEON Model BAe 125-800A, Hawker 800, Hawker 800XP series airplanes (Docket No. 96-NM-136-AD; Amdt. 39-9840; AD 96-24-16) - requires the filling of two tooling holes on the firewalls of the left and right engine pylons with sealant. This amendment is prompted by notification from the manufacturer that these holes were not sealed during production. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent an engine fire from moving to the fuselage and to the lines that carry flammable fluid that are located inboard of the firewall.
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association appointed William Deere, a former employee who most recently was an aide to former Rep. Jim Lightfoot (R-Iowa), as executive director of AOPA Legislative Action. Deere replaces Thomas Chapman, who succeeded Steven Brown as AOPA senior vice president for government and technical affairs after Brown joined the National Aeronautic Association (BA, Dec. 9/262). Deere served on Lightfoot's staff for five years, assisting with his work on the Appropriations Committee.
WESTERN AIRCRAFT was approved by Raytheon Aircraft as an authorized service center for Hawker aircraft. Under the agreement, the Boise, Idaho fixed- base operation is authorized to provide a variety of services, from routine inspections to major overhauls of Hawker aircraft. Western Aircraft, a full service, 24-hour FBO, also is an authorized Pilatus PC-12 dealer.
ROBERT STANGARONE, vice president of public affairs for Rolls-Royce, Inc., will join Litton Industries next month as director of corporate communications. Stangarone joined Rolls-Royce in the spring of 1989 and has been based in the company's Reston, Va. office. He will relocate to Litton's headquarters in Woodland Hills, Calif. Before joining Rolls- Royce, Stangarone held communications posts with Sikorsky and Pratt&Whitney and before that he was on the staff of Business&Commercial Aviation magazine.
AIRCLAIMS LIMITED of London reports that there were 26 known losses of western-built turboprop airliners during 1996 - six fewer than in 1995 and the lowest figure since 1986, when losses also totaled 26. The average annual number of total turboprop losses during the 1980s was 32, although the worst year was 1989 with 45. The best year was 1980 with 25. The average annual number of turboprop losses during the 1990s is 34. Total airline hull and liability losses during 1996 totaled nearly $1.6 billion, up 25 percent from 1995.
THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT will release a version of its global digital terrain elevation database for use in civil aviation as part of an effort to address controlled flight into terrain (CFIT), Vice President Al Gore announced last week in a speech to the International Conference on Aviation Safety and Security. Gore also used the occasion to announce that FAA will require operators to make four additional changes in the rudder systems of Boeing 737 aircraft, which may mark the first time a sitting vice president of the country ever announced an airworthiness directive.
HKS&A, INC., the Redwood City, Calif. aviation management services company, named industry veteran Bill Keil a senior associate with the firm. Keil, who has been involved in the aviation business for 44 years, just retired after six years as vice president of technical services with the Regional Airline Association. Keil's career began with United Airlines (1952-1966), followed by jobs at Northeast/Delta Airlines (1966-1973), Ford Motor Company-Air Transportation (1973-1975) and USAir, Inc. (1975-1990).
WAYFARER AVIATION named Jon Swartzentruber manager of charter sales. Swartzentruber previously served as vice president, marketing for Marc Fruchter Aviation and, before that, was a USAir flight line captain.
Summary: Pursuant to FAA's rulemaking provisions governing the application, processing, and disposition of petitions for exemption (14 CFR Part 11), this notice contains a summary of certain petitions seeking relief from specified requirements of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR Chapter I), dispositions of certain petitions previously received, and corrections. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA's regulatory activities.
ALTHOUGH the charter community expects relief from the requirements to display the certificate holder's name on airplanes operated under Part 135, the National Air Transportation Association was angered by FAA's recent dismissal of the association's petition because, the agency said, the issue is not "an immediate safety concern." See article below.
Banner Aerospace purchased P.B. Herndon Co., a specialty fastener distributor to the aerospace industry, the second such purchase by Banner in the past year. While terms of the Herndon acquisition were not disclosed, the St. Louis-based company has annual sales of approximately $20 million. The company distributes its fastener lines and related components to the commercial and military industries, the U.S. government and original equipment manufacturers. P.B.
New Piper Aircraft last week unveiled an updated version of its twin- piston Seneca business/utility aircraft that the company said will have upgraded engines, a newly designed cockpit and more features for business use. The aircraft, the Seneca V, will be powered by turbo-charged twin Continental L/TSIO-360-RB engines that will provide 220 continuous horsepower, enabling the aircraft to maintain sea-level power up to 19,500 feet and reach a service ceiling of 25,000 feet. Piper said the new engines also provide quieter, more fuel efficient cruising.
RALPH ESCHENBACH, a top executive with Trimble Navigation, was named chairman of FAA's research, engineering and development advisory committee of which he has been a member since 1996. Eschenbach is vice president of business development at Trimble Navigation Ltd., Sunnyvale, Calif. He previously served as Trimble's vice president engineering and vice president of the navigation group. FAA described him as "an expert in GPS and aircraft navigation systems, circuit design, feedback system and spread spectrum communications."
MILLION AIR DALLAS, reporting what it called a record year for its charter operations, added four aircraft to its charter fleet. The fixed-base operation on Addison Airport added two Gulfstream IIs and two Falcon 20s to its charter certificate. Million Air Dallas also operates five Learjets, a Hawker 700 and a King Air 200.
ANGIE HENDERSON was appointed ground support service manager for Flightcraft's facility in Portland, Ore. Henderson has more than eight years of aviation experience, starting as a customer service representative and subsequently holding charter dispatch and ground support supervisor positions.
DONNA KAULKIN, editorial director of McGraw-Hill's World Aviation Directory and Overhaul&Maintenance magazine, resigned effective Feb. 7. She joined WAD 13 years ago and is leaving to start her own business.
Cessna Aircraft added seven regional sales managers to its single- engine sales and marketing team. The company appointed Bruce Keller to oversee single-engine sales in the mid-Atlantic states. Keller, based in Middleburg, Va., joined Cessna in mid-October to develop the single-engine regional sales manager training program. Keller held a number of sales positions for Cessna during the 1970s and 1980s and most recently worked in customer services with United Airlines. Steve Kent, based in Warwick, N.Y., will be responsible for sales in the Northeast.
NATIONAL AIR TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION added two more Flight School Manager Training Seminars during 1997. NATA, which has sold out the initial seminar scheduled for next month in Phoenix, will hold another session during its annual convention and trade show March 24-27 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and a third seminar set tentatively for June 20 at Thunderbird Aviation in Minneapolis, Minn. The seminars will cover attracting and retaining new students, valuing product, customer service tips, work force motivation, and other management strategies.
Flight Visions, Inc., Sugar Grove, Ill., said FAA has certified its head-up display (HUD) as a primary flight display. The company said the FAA action permits use of the HUD system in both instrument and visual meteorological conditions as the sole reference for flight information.
TYROLEAN AIRWAYS ordered four de Havilland Dash 8 Series 400 turboprops from Bombardier's Regional Aircraft Division and took options on four additional aircraft. The aircraft on firm order are valued at $83 million (U.S.) and are scheduled to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 1999, the first and third quarters of 2000 and first quarter of 2001. Tyrolean selected the 72-seat "B" model of the 350-knot aircraft. The Series 400 Dash 8 is in development at Bombardier's de Havilland facility in Downsview, Ontario.
FOKKER Model F27 Mark 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 and 700 series airplanes (Docket No. 96-NM-88-AD; Amdt. 39-9869; AD 96-26-05) - requires an inspection for cracking of the torque tube assembly of the left-hand elevator and surrounding structure and for loose or sheared rivets in that assembly. This amendment also requires either replacement or repair of discrepant parts, as appropriate. This amendment is prompted by a report of fatigue cracking found on the torque tube support of the left-hand elevator.
DASSAULT FALCON JET CORP. relocated most of its headquarters operations to new facilities at Teterboro Airport. The new mailing address is Dassault Falcon Jet, Teterboro Airport, Box 2000, South Hackensack, N.J. 07606. The new shipping address for deliveries via UPS and Federal Express is Dassault Falcon Jet, Teterboro Airport, 200 Riser Road, Little Ferry, N.J. 07643. New main telephone number is (201) 440-6700.
JET MAINTENANCE PTE. LTD, Jet Aviation's facility at Selatar Airport in Singapore, was selected to represent Universal Avionics Systems Corp. in the Asian market. Jet Maintenance expects to receive FAA and JAR 145 certification to repair, install and retrofit corporate aircraft with Universal products. Universal produces navigation and flight management systems, including the UNS-1 product line of flight/navigation management systems.
OTHER CANDIDATES rumored to be in the running for the top FAA post include Carl Vogt, the attorney and former National Transportation Safety Board chairman (BA, Jan. 6/3) and Robert Baker, executive vice president- operations at American Airlines. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association publicly endorsed Vogt for the FAA job last week. See article below.
